On May 6, 1985, this author was called by God to "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people" and the articles on this website are a result of that call.
But this author is not the "Comforter." All this author can do is point others to the One who gave me comfort in my own dark days. Any comfort I may offer in my own wisdom or learning may be shallow or without compassion, but what I can do is help others find the One who is able and willing to provide true comfort.
It is with great sadness today (Sept.11, 2001) that we watch and read the media reports of the worst act of terrorism in the history of the world, where over 6,000 people have perished in the United States of America. We all wish we could help, but any help we can give to those who have lost their loved ones is limited. Often all we can do is pray. But do we realize the power of our prayers? Do we realize we are speaking to a risen Christ Jesus who is alive among us to give HIS comfort to the bereaved? The imprisoned Apostle Paul writes that He is the "God of all comfort who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted" (2 Corinthians 1:3). "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you..." (2 Corinthians 13:11).
As you and I attempt to deal with our anger against those who have committed this terrible act of terrorism, let us look again at a true story which was published on the front page of this website for several weeks prior to that fatal day of September 11, 2001. The author of the following article, Pastor Albert Zehr of the Church of Zion in Vancouver, Canada, explains how his beloved personal friend, Richard A. Nelson, dealt with the offence of his son's murder.
"It all started about 8:40 p.m. when we received a call that the son of a neighbour and dear friend was missing. Police helicopters were on the scene as we went to the complex where the boy had last been seen. The boy's bicycle and some clothes were found. The tears and the panic increased as the father, my son, and I searched relentlessly. The part that staggered me as much as the apparent tragedy was that the father prayed as we walked. Amid his fear he yielded to God.
"Amid the terror of the situation, he pleaded to God to forgive the perpetrator. He prayed for his son, yes, but he asked the Lord to save the kidnapper from his lost condition into the kingdom of God. He really wanted his son's attacker to know Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. To forgive in certain situations may be imaginable. But even as a fellow-believer, I was astonished by the unconditional love for God and man that I saw in my dear Christian brother in this tragic moment.
"I can still hear the shrieks in the middle of the night when the detectives came to disclose the horrible circumstances under which this innocent child was destroyed. But even through the tears of pain for his child, this father also cried and prayed for the murderer. I saw the express embodiment of the love of God in this father in a circumstance where human love would certainly fail. He freely forgave even as he had realized the forgiveness of God for his own sin and fallen life in earlier years.
"The loss of his only son took place close to twenty years ago. This father could be a bitter, remorseful and angry man. But he is still loving God and still forgiving and blessing others. What a testimony of the practical genuineness and experience of dealing with offence!
"How many who have suffered even lesser offences have spent the next twenty years in anger and frustration and bringing little blessing to others? Truly, as John Bevere says, "Our response to offence determines our future."
After reading how his friend handled his son's murder, Jesus' teachings on forgiveness and love for even our enemies take on new meaning. If we allow anger and bitterness about the thousands who were killed in the terrorist attack to grow in our hearts, we will only damage ourselves. Allowing unforgiveness for those who have committed such heinous crimes to remain in our hearts gives Satan a legal stronghold over us (2 Corinthians 2:11).
So while the world must bring those responsible for this act of aggression to justice, which could even mean war against certain countries, as individuals we must not become consumed with our anger and grief. My husband fought in World War II, and to his credit he holds no bitterness in his heart against those whom he fought. Only the love of God can give us such forgiveness and peace in such horrible circumstances.
So rather than shaking an angry fist in God's face screaming, "Why did You do this?" let us remember how far we have fallen from our Christian roots. We all reap what we sow, whether the sowing is personal or national. And let us be honest, all of us have been sowing many bad seeds for many years. The fruit of our disobedience to God's laws as outlined in the Bible we claim to believe has grown to maturity. Today as our backs are up against a wall and we know not where to turn, we realize the wall is God. Only He can help us. The fact is, He has not left us; we have left Him!
Let us overcome our anger today with the knowledge that God is still on the throne, and that His Son Jesus Christ is praying for us. He is the only One who can bring comfort as we walk through these days of mourning.
© 1999, Doreen Palmer